California governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law a sweeping measure that limits rent increases to 5% plus inflation per year and also restricts landlords’ ability to terminate lease agreements. Leaving aside the ethic of property right curtailment, the new law represents a doubling-down on demonstrably failed policy. More than ever, the answer to California’s housing shortage is freer markets,…
Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels The daily work of an executive is difficult and often stressful, but CEOs are not paid amply because their work is hard or unenjoyable. Doug McCullough Certain politicians and social critics would have us scandalized that the annual income of CEOs of large corporations is often several times that of the employees who work in…
If you ask most people about their impression of entrepreneurship, they might use words like “small business” or “innovation” or describe it as “working for yourself.” Some may go beyond that and paint a picture of an audacious Silicon Valley founder who boldly takes risks and tirelessly overcomes challenges. For others, an entrepreneur is a free-spirited rebel who makes his…
LONE STAR POLICY INSTITUTE HOLDING EVENT ON THE FUTURE OF FREEDOM To discuss the rise of Nationalism, Socialism, and Populism AUSTIN, TX: 27 August 2019 – Lone Star Policy Institute is hosting a discussion on the future of freedom in the light of the recent rise of nationalism, socialism, and populism on September 5th at 6:00 PM. It is set…
Whether you’re a young graduate just starting your career or someone who is feeling the vocational version of the “Seven Year Itch,” the secret to professional development is taking control of the direction of your career. Many young professionals have been taught to ask for permission and seek guidance at every turn. At times this is understandable because young professionals…
Senator Elizabeth Warren is right that the path to wealth is through entrepreneurship. The senator recently released her “Leveling the Playing Field for Entrepreneurs” plan, a proposal that claims to help minorities who are starting businesses. This plan comes on the tails of her indignation toward wealthy Americans, referring to them as “freeloaders.” Perhaps she fails to realize that many…
CS Lewis, the famed author of The Chronicles of Narnia, once discussed the distinction between advancing ethics and advancing knowledge of facts. In Lewis’ view, ethics changes remarkably little over the years. What changes, and changes rapidly, is our knowledge of how the world works. This advancement of knowledge informs our application of ethical norms, and it is advancing knowledge…
A number of indicators since the 2016 Presidential election have suggested that Texas may not be as reliable of a red state as it has in the past. From Trump winning just 52.2% of the Texan vote, to Ted Cruz barely scraping a majority over Beto O’Rourke in 2018, and now John Cornyn visibly concerned for not just his future…
Elizabeth Warren wants to bury private equity. Here’s why that is a bad idea. Free Enterprise and Private Equity I have a love-hate relationship with private equity. As a mergers and acquisitions attorney, I spend more of my time representing sellers of companies, or even corporate buyers, than representing private equity. I have had vigorous negotiations with private equity firms and their…
First and foremost, we need to establish what Civil Asset Forfeiture is and how it differs from Criminal Asset Forfeiture. In criminal asset forfeiture, the property of an individual is taken after charges are brought against them. However, in civil asset forfeiture, an individual does not have to be proven guilty or even charged with a crime for police to…